Bucs Camp MVP 8-5: Unblockable Day For McCoy

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Bucs Camp MVP 8-5: Unblockable Day For McCoy
Maybe it was the overflowing, standing-room only crowd at Saturday’s practice.

Or perhaps it was to show former defensive back Ronde Barber, who was on the sidelines, that he is, in fact, bad ass.

Whatever it was, it worked.

McCoy dominated in team drills on Saturday, making whichever offensive lineman drew the short straw to block him, look silly.

Defensive line coach Jay Hayes wasn’t surprised.

“I mean the guy is an All-Pro player. He is supposed to have days like that.”

Someone else who was singing McCoy’s praise – and was victimized on a number of plays – was guard Kevin Pamphile.

“Man, when you’re a Pro Bowler you’ve got to play like a Pro Bowler and that’s what he did today,” Pamphile said. “In the huddle we were like, ‘Man, we’ve got to stop this guy!’ He’s playing great. He’s playing lights-out football right now. It’s making us better going against him every day. I consider him the best D-tackle in the league right now – by far. No one can beat him. When I go up against him every day and then other guys in the league it doesn’t even compare.”

At one point, towards the middle of practice, McCoy had two back-to-back dominating tackles for loss. On the first one, McCoy was able to shed his block and give running back Doug Martin a stiff shot in the hole, and, on the next, McCoy timed the snap and used his quickness to split the center and guard to meet Martin in the backfield just as he received the ball from quarterback Jameis Winston.

Veteran teammate, Clinton McDonald, was impressed with McCoy’s day as well.

“Man, that was an A-plus show today,” McDonald said. “He’s fighting because he knows he has the responsibility to uphold the defense. He got off the ball today and made a ton of plays in the backfield. He’s a Pro Bowler for a reason. He’s an All-Pro for a reason and he showed it today.”

About the author

Mark Cook currently is the director of editorial content and Bucs beat writer and has written for PewterReport.com since 2011. Cook has followed the Buccaneers since 1977 when he first began watching football with his Dad and is fond of the 1979 Bucs team that came within 10 points of going to a Super Bowl. His favorite Bucs game is still the 1979 divisional playoff win 24-17 over the Eagles. In his spare time Cook enjoys playing guitar, fishing, surfing and family time at the beach. In addition, Cook can be found in front of a television or in Doak Campbell any time the FSU Seminoles are playing. Cook is a native of Pinecrest in Eastern Hillsborough County and has written for numerous publications including the Tampa Tribune, In the Field and Ya'll Magazine. Cook can be reached at [email protected]

4 Comments

Now that he doesn’t have to be the leader of this team, he can lead. Let’s face it, this is the most talented team, and best coaching staff McCoy has ever had here in Tampa. He finally has a cast around, this could be his year to shine.